Sunday, October 26, 2008

Thanking our Priests ...

Today -- Sunday, October 26, 2008 -- is World Priest Day, in which Catholic parishes celebrate and affirm those men who are call to commit themselves to Christ and his Church through the Sacrament of Holy Orders, and an opportunity for parishioners to thank, affirm and convey our love and support for our priests.

World Priest Day is sponsored by the Worldwide Marriage Encounter (click the link to read the origins and history of this commemorative event). It is now celebrated on the 4th Sunday of October, in conjunction with the Serra Club’s Priesthood Sunday.

Deacon Greg Kandra gave a wonderful homily this morning in recognition of World Priest Day, which he posted to his blog. An excerpt:

Before I was ordained, I was talking with a classmate of mine, who said his pastor had some very simple advice about preaching. “Just remember,” he told him, “to tell the people that God loves them.”

I try to remember that myself every time I climb into this pulpit. But when you think of what priests do, what they bring to us, I think they do it even more powerfully and more profoundly. And they don’t do it with words.

Every absolution says: “God loves you.”

Every anointing says: “God loves you.”

Every elevation of the consecrated host at that altar says: “God loves you.”

It is a message we are hungry to hear. Especially now, with so much that is uncertain, when it is easy to lose sight of what matters.

Read the whole thing.

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